Sir Alan quits as new apprentice phones in sick
Sir Alan Sugar, who has stepped down as chairman of Amstrad, is reported to be furious after The Apprentice winner Lee McQueen failed to turn up for his first day working for the straight talking entrepreneur.
According to press reports, the 30-year old former recruitment sales manager, who secured the £100,000 a year job after winning the popular BBC TV series, phoned in on Monday morning to say he was feeling ill.
An insider told one newspaper that the no-show by McQueen, who returned from a week's holiday in Spain with his girlfriend on Sunday, would make Sir Alan Sugar "really cross".
Speaking to the Press Association, an Amstrad spokesperson said the company had known about McQueen's "flu-like virus" for three or four days. "He's frustrated that he can't be at work because he wants to get going but he knows that needs to be at home," the spokesperson added.
News of McQueen's non-attendance came as Sir Alan Sugar confirmed he has quit as chairman of Amstrad, the electronics company he set up in 1968.
After leaving school at 16, the son of a London East End tailor is now worth around £830m. He was ranked 92nd in the 2008 Sunday Times Rich List with most of his wealth derived from property investments.
The entrepreneur said his departure had been a "planned move" following satellite broadcaster Sky's £125m acquisition of Amstrad, which stands for Alan Michael Sugar Trading, in 2007.
The 61-year-old will remain involved with his other business interests which include Viglen computers and private jet firm Amsair.
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BusinessZONE - 2-Jul-2008
Categories: News
Story read: 2021
